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My wifes uk driving licence has expired. Is she allowed to drive?

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  • 12-10-2012 1:21pm
    #1
    gbh2930
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10 ✭


    She has a UK licence that has expired.

    Is she allowed to drive?

    Where/how does she apply for an irish one?
    Tagged:


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    #2
    btkm8unsl0w5r4
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,538 ✭✭✭btkm8unsl0w5r4


    http://lmgtfy.com/?q=where+to+get+a+irish+driving+licence


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    #3
    Wile E. Coyote
    Registered Users Posts: 1,560 ✭✭✭Wile E. Coyote


    With no licence she can't drive.

    She can get an application form for a provisional Irish licence from any garda station and all details are here....

    http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/motoring_1/driver_licensing/


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    #4
    SDTimeout
    Registered Users Posts: 2,660 ✭✭✭SDTimeout


    2930

    I would not be so quick to say she cannot drive in this country, or rather that it is not a hanging offence.
    the attitude of the british police if they stop you with an expired licence is that you may not proceed as your insurance is invalid(because of the out of date licence)

    Irish insurance certs say that anyone who holds OR HAS HELD a licence is insured .so at least that bit is ok

    If she had a UK full licence she can exchange it for an irish one, whether or not the Irish authorities will regard her expired one as being sufficient I have no idea. So, worst case ,renew the Uk one and then exchange(or dont)

    Regards Rugbyman .


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    #5
    randy hickey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,935 ✭✭✭randy hickey


    I did my driving test in Belfast in 1995, so when my full UK licence expired in 2005, I simply handed it into the Motor Tax Office with the required form filled out plus new photos, and they swapped it for a full Irish licence there and then.


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    #6
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Legally no, she cannot drive as it is an offence to drive without a valid licence.

    In reality it's a very minor offence* provided that you have held a driving licence in the past five years, since your insurance is still valid.

    She can swap her licence for a full Irish licence, no test required:
    http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/motoring_1/driver_licensing/exchanging_foreign_driving_permit.html

    *Unless you're being paid to drive. Then it's a serious offence with fines ranging from €1k to €5k


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    #7
    Marcusm
    Registered Users Posts: 10,217 ✭✭✭✭Marcusm


    gbh2930 wrote: »
    She has a UK licence that has expired.

    Is she allowed to drive?

    Where/how does she apply for an irish one?

    Unless your wife is over 70 her licence has not expired rather he photo card has expired. There is a big difference between these statements. She is licenced to drive until age 70 but must renew the photocard every 10 years. So far as I am aware, DVLA will not issue a photocard to a foreign address so she may need to swap over to an Irish licence which she is entitled to do providing this is her current country of residence. Applying for a photocard using a friemd's UK address is likely an offence and, while some here mayquestion whether you'd ever get caught, I don't think it's a sensible thing to do.


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    #8
    Our man in Havana
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,476 ✭✭✭✭Our man in Havana


    It is not an offence as the DVLA only need an address where you can be contacted at.


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    #9
    CiniO
    Registered Users Posts: 16,089 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    Wile E. Coyote wrote: »
    With no licence she can't drive.

    She can get an application form for a provisional Irish licence from any garda station and all details are here....

    http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/motoring_1/driver_licensing/

    Why would she want to apply for provisional licence (I suppose you mean driving permit) while she can apply for full licence (just exchange her expired UK licence for Irish one).


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    #10
    Marcusm
    Registered Users Posts: 10,217 ✭✭✭✭Marcusm


    Our man in Havana wrote: »
    It is not an offence as the DVLA only need an address where you can be contacted at.

    Unfortunately you need to sign a declaration that you are resident in the UK at that address when you make the application. MakIng a false declaration would be the offence. Older licences (pre photocard) didn't't need to be renewed but this issue has come up quite a bit on UK expat forums.


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    #11
    Our man in Havana
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,476 ✭✭✭✭Our man in Havana


    And the consensus is that once the address is one where you can be reached there is no harm done.


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    #12
    Marcusm
    Registered Users Posts: 10,217 ✭✭✭✭Marcusm


    Our man in Havana wrote: »
    And the consensus is that once the address is one where you can be reached there is no harm done.

    Not much point in carrying on this deviation, I guess the OP and his wife will decide what they want to do.


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    #13
    iora_rua
    Registered Users Posts: 401 ✭✭iora_rua


    OK, so can someone please explain what needs doing, should you be lucky(!) enough to still be alive at 70 - residing in Ireland, driving on Irish roads :D - and clutching a UK Driving Licence? Do you have to take a new driving test to obtain an Irish Licence, or get the Dr to certify that you're still breathing, or both?


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    #14
    Our man in Havana
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,476 ✭✭✭✭Our man in Havana


    Just get a doctor to say you are not a danger to society and apply for an Irish licence.


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